Honours, Tradition and Emotion at the Honey Festival
This year’s two-day Kalymnos Honey Festival opened on Tuesday, 11 August 2026, at Christou Square in Pothia and concludes today, Wednesday, 12 August, at Masouri Square, beginning at 8:00 p.m.
The annual festival is organised by the Kalymnos Beekeepers’ Cooperative “Thymaritis”, on the initiative of its president, Giannis Gavalas, and with the participation of the cooperative’s producer-members.
Special honorary awards
A particularly moving part of the evening was the initiative by Giannis Gavalas and the Dodecanese Beekeeping Centre to honour individuals whose work and actions make a valuable contribution to the local community and the country.
Mr Gavalas presented an honorary award to Maria Vapori, a volunteer senior firefighter, in recognition of her invaluable service to the people of Kalymnos, her integrity and her contribution to protecting nature and the environment.
Konstantinos Saroukos was also honoured for his contribution to safeguarding the honour and dignity of Greek fishermen and the primary sector, as well as for his efforts in defence of Greek sovereignty in the Aegean.
Mr Saroukos was fishing off Paros and was therefore unable to attend the event in person. He nevertheless joined the ceremony by telephone, delivering a short address and expressing his heartfelt gratitude for the honour. He stressed that the distinction did not belong to him alone but was shared with all his fellow fishermen who continue to pursue this demanding profession despite the dangers and the threats from Turkey that, as he stated, they face in the Aegean. His son accepted the honorary plaque on his behalf.
Tradition and a deeply moving moment
The evening featured traditional music, dancing and cultural performances by the “ “Chorogenesis” Folklore Association of Maria and Frosso Troumouliari, along with a delegation from the Lyceum Club of Greek Women of Kardamena, led by its president, Nitsa Valinaki-Prigou.
A particularly memorable performance was given by Vangelis Tatsis, a Kalymnian living in Southampton, who danced the iconic Kalymnian “Michanikos”. His interpretation was so expressive and realistic that a tourist, believing he genuinely needed assistance, instinctively bent down to help him to his feet. Her spontaneous reaction became one of the evening’s most touching moments and drew warm applause from the audience.
The festival’s main sponsor is “Melissovioma – Panormitis Kampouris”. The event is also co-organised and supported by the South Aegean Region–Kalymnos Regional Department, the Municipality of Kalymnos, Blue Star Ferries and NISOGAS–Hellenic LPG Company.
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